Warning-signal for railway-crossings.



D. I. McCARTHY. WARNING SIGNAL ron RAILWAY caossmas.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 19H.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

A BNEETS-SHEET WITN ESFAES D. J. McCARTHY.

' WARNING SIGNA'L FOR RMLWAY CROSSINGS.

Se pt'. 5,1916. 4 SHEETS SHEET 2.

Patented APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1915.

I 0.1. McCA,RTHY. WARNING S IGNAL' FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. I9l5. I I IntenhtflSept. 5,1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

. 1' m ii w M i i I 1 R H'i I I WITNESSES.

0. J. McCARTHY, WARNING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSI NGS APPLICATION men MAY 10. ms. PatentedSept. 5,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PEG-6 INVENTOR WITNESSES W 7 warni-ng tdtrafiic tliatatrain is approach DANIEL J". MoCARTI-IY, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WARNING-SIGNAL roza nAILwAY-omssmes.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that I, DANIEL J. MCCARTHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Warning-Signals for Railway-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to warning signals for railway crossings.

I shall describe one formof signal embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grade intersection of a railway and a highway, adjacent which is located one form of warning signal embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in elevation the mechanism of the signal shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view showing part of Fig. 2 on a larger scale. Fig. 1 is a view showing a section of Fig. 3 on line IV--IV, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view showing part of Fig. 2 on a larger scale. Fig. 7 is a view showing a side elevation of the parts shown in. Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is afragmental vieW of a poem of the apparatus shown in F1g.. 3 loolm' toward the left. Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of part of the mechanismshown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. Fig. 10 1s a diagrammatic View showing ne form and arrangement of control circuits for the signal shown in Fig. 1. 1 Similar reference characters refer to sim1- lar parts in .each of the several views.

. Referring first to Fig. 1,Ihave here shown a railroad track R crossing a hlghway H.

Near the crossing and visible from the highway at a distance from either side of the crossing is a warning signal S, which as here shown comprises .a casing lprovided with a window 2 on botlr sides and mounted by meansof abracket' 3-on a post 4:. .By

mechanism contained in casing 1 a moving beam of light, preferably red, is made to shine throughwlndow 2 when a train ap- --proaches the highway. This light indica tion is veryiconspicuous, as I shall explainhereinafter, and constitutes an efiectiv'e ing the crossing. The light is automaticaliy Specification of Letters Patent.

extinguished when the train passes the highway.

which the carriage runs and two guide rails 6 and 7. Brackets 8 and 9 are fastened on the threaded extremities of these rails by means of nuts 11 so that rail 5 is held parallel to and above the middle line between rails 6 and 7, as best shown in Figs;

4t. and 5. Track T is pivotally mounted on a base 29, as I shall now explain with reference to Figs. 2, 6 and 7. Angle irons 12 and13 are fastened to rails 6 and 7 respectively by means of screws 14. A reinforcing plate 22 is riveted to the under side of the angle irons 1n order to make th1s construction more 7 Patented Sept. 5, 191 6. Application filed May 10, 1915. Serial No. 26,925.

rigid. Two plates 15 and 16 are secured to the angle irons by means of rivets 17 and are provlded at their lower ends with holes through which is passed a pin 18. A bracket 19 fastened to base 29 by means of screws- 21 supports pin 18; thus the entire track T can be turned about shaft 18 as a pivot. Adjacent the right end of rail 6, see Fig. 2', is mounted a clamp 24: which is connected by means of a link 25 to a crank arm 26. A motor M is provided torevolve crank 26 through the medium of worm gearing 27. It is apparent that rotation of c rank 26 causes track T to rock about pin 18 as a center with a periodicity that depends upon the motor speed and gear ratio.

Carriage C, see Figs. 3 to 5, is suspended by means of a bracket 33 from the axle 32 of a wheel 31, the rim of which is grooved to fit the surface of rail 5. Bracket 33 is made in two parts, a U-shaped portion 33 and a straight portion 33 as shown in Fig. 1. A

hole 31 is drilled into the upper ends of each lateral swaying. of carriage C are mounted on studs 43 riveted to the under side of bar 37, so that they engage guide rails 6 or 7 when the carriage swings to one side orthe other. The carriage is guided also by two additional Wheels 45 which are adapted to roll on the under side of bar and which are journaled on shafts 46 riveted at one end to bars 47 secured to upper bar 36 of frame F. It is apparent from this'method of suspension of carriage C that, when track T is tilted, carriage C rolls from the higher end of the track to the lower end, and by rocking the track with theright periodicity, carriage O can be made to roll alternatively from one end of the track to the other. To absorb the momentum of the carriage when it reaches either end of the track, I provide spring buffers 51 on each end of track T.

With reference to Figs. 3 and 8, buffer 51 comprises a cylindrical tube 52 screwed into a plate 53 fixed to the upper end of bracket 8 by means of nut 11. A plug 54 screwed into the left end of tube 52 serves as a stop for aspring 55, the other end of which bears on aplunger 58 adapted to reciprocate in tube 52. A pin 56 through the right end of tube 52 and passed through a slot 57 in plunger 58 limits the distance through which plunger 58 reciprocates. Spring 55 biases plunger 58 to project from tube 52. When the track is tilted so that .the carriage ap' proaches one of the buffers the end of arm 47 engages plunger 58 so that spring 55 is compressed, and the carriage is smoothly brought to rest. "The spring expands when the tilt of the. track is reversed and gives the carriage an impetus so that it starts off rapidly to roll in the reverse direction.

Frame F of carriage C serves as a support.

for two mirrors. mounted thereon in a manner, which Isha'll now describe with referof brackets 81 secured to plate 76 by screws 82. For rotating the mirrors I provide a pinion wheel 72 keyed to shaft 73 and adapted to engage gear wheels 65 and 66 mounted loosely on shaft 32. Ratchets 63 and 64 are fixed adjacent the ends of shaft 32', so that they are rotated when wheel 31, which is keyed to shaft 32 by a pin 61, rolls on rail 5. A pawl 67 (see Fig. 3) is pivoted on wheel 65 and biased by a spring 71 to engage ratchet 63. The teeth of ratchet 63 are shaped as shown in Fig. 3, so that ratchet 63 drives wheel 65 when rotated in a clockwise direction, i. 6. when the carriagetravels from left to right. Similarly, a pawl 68 on wheel 66 is adapted to engage ratchet 64,.

the teeth of which are shaped so that ratchet 64 drives wheel 66 when rotated in a counter-clockwise direction,,z'. e.-when the carriage travels from right to left. Since wheels 65 and 66 engage pinion 72 on opposite sides, it is evident that, as the carriage rolls alternatively from one end of the track to the other, mirrors 78 and 79 are rotated continuously in one direction, counter-clockwise when viewed as in Fig. 5. Two beams of light are thrown on mirrors 78 and 79 by means of lamps 85 and 86 in casings 87 -(see Fig. 2) secured to brackets 8 and 9. Each beam of light is preferably made intense and its rays nearly parallel by any suitable means, for example'by an optical train of convex lenses 91 and 92 shown in Fig. 9, which is a cross sectional view of one casing 87. The light emitted from casings 87 is preferably colored redby means of'a plate of red casing 87 To explain the light effect produced by the signal when operatin and viewed from the highway, assume %or the present that mirrors 7 8 and 79 donot rotate as carriage C inoves on track T, but are fixed on the carriage at an angle of 45 to the track. Then the light from lamps and 86 falls on mirrors 79 and 7 8 respectively and is reflect'ed therefr'om at right'angles to track glass 93,, inserted each T, so that an observer sees a reciprocating light behind window 2 when the signal is 'operating, provided the observer is within the angular limits defined by the spread of the beams of light. But it is of great importance that the indication of signal S ma be seen from all parts of thehighway' a jacent the railway crossing so that with the mirrors stationary with respect to the carriage it would be necessary to use a widely divergent beam-of light. Since it is also necessary that the light be of a .high candle power in order that, it may be noticed in daylight, the power consumption of such a signal would be very high. By rotating the mirrors this difiiculty is overcome as I shall now explain. Suppose first that the carriage remains stationary while the mirrors are rotated. It is well known that the reflection of a beam of light incident on are- -volving' mirror is rotated through twice the v angle through which the mirror is turned, so that the reflected beam is revolved through 560? when the mirror is turned through 180. Consequently, with two lights and two mirrors placed back to back the signal sends out two revolving beams of light in opposite directions, and an observer viewing this signal from any part of highway H sees four flashes of light emitted from window 2 during every revolution of the mirrors.

The signal I have described-combines the reciprocating mechanism with the" rotating mechanism, with the result that an observer approaching the signal from either side sees, when the signal is operating, an apparently flickering light swinging behind. window 2. I The intensity of this light combined with its peculiar movement and flicker makes it ostentatious to a high degree and very suitable for a warning signal.

The control circuits for signal S I have shown in Fig. 10, wherein reference characters 91 and 92 designate the rails of railroad track R on which traiiic moves in the direction of the arrow. N designates a track section insulated from the rails at either end of the section by insulated joints 93. Section N is equipped with a track circuit which comprises a source of potential, here shown as a battery 94:, and a relay 95. Signal S is controlled by relay 95, the circuit being: from a battery 96, through wire 97, back contact 98 of relay 95, wire 99, lamp 85, wire 101, lam 86, motor M, wire 102 to battery 96. Wit no train on section N, relay 95 is energized so that the back contact is open and signal S is inoperative. When a train enters section N, however, back contact 98 is closed, and motor M is energized and rocks track T so that carriage G is reciprocated. At the same time lamps 85 and 86 are illuminated, and thesignal is thus operated to give its warning indication as described hereinbefore. When the train leaves section N relay 95 is reenergized, and breaks contact 98, so that the signal ceases to op crate.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of warning signal embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my" invention, what I claim is:

1. A traiiic signal comprising a lamp, a mirror adapted to receive light from said lamp, and means for reciprocating said ,mirror so that the light reflected from said mir ror is also reciprocated.

2. A traffic signal comprising a lamp, a mirror, means for projecting a beam of light from said lamp upon said mirror, and means for reciprocating said mirror so beam is reciprocated.

3. In combination, a lamp, a carriage, a track for said carriage, a mirror mounted on said carriage, means for projecting a beam of light from said lamp upon said mirror, and means for reciprocating said carriage on said track whereby said beam of lightis reciprocated when reflected from said mirror.

4. In combination, a lamp, a carriage, a rail on which said carriage runs, a mirror that said on said carriage and. adapted'torcceive light' from said lamp, and means for rocking said rail whereby said carrlage is reciprocated.

5. Incombination, a lamp, a 'carriage, .a,

rail, means for movablymountingsaidcarrlage on sald rail, a mirror on said carriage rail so that said carriage, rides backj'and forth on said rail, whereby the light reflect ed from sald mirror 18 caused. to rec procate.

6. A traflic signal comprisinga lamp, a"-

mirror, so that li ht from said lamp is reflected by said mirror as a;,a'0tati ng beam.

7. In a railwa crossing signal, a rail, a carriage adapted to ride thereon, means for reciprocating said carriage on said rail, a mirror on said. carriage, mechanism whereby said mirror is rotated continuously in one direction when said carriage is reciprocated, and a lamp adapted to project a beam of light on said mirror, reflected and given simultaneously an oscillating and a rotary motion.

8. A traflic signal comprising a mirror, mean for projecting a beam of light upon said mirror, and mechanism for rotating and reciprocating said mirror simultaneously, so that said beam of light when reflected from said mirror has simultaneously a 1'0- tary and an oscillating motion.

and means for rotating said mirror' whereby said beam. is

9. In combination, a mirror adapted to reflect light from both sides, means for projecting a beam of light on said mirror, and means for giving said mirror simultaneously an oscillating and a rotary motion.

10. In combination, a track, a carriage adapted to be reciprocated thereon, a mirror on said carriage adapted to be revolved, and a lamp for throwing a beam of light on said mirror. I

11. In combination, a track, a carriage on said track, means for reciprocating said carriage, a mirror on said carriage adapted to reflect light from both sides, means for rotatingsaid mirror, and a lamp .for throwing a beam of light on said mirror.

12. In combination, a track pivotally mounted, electromagnetic means for rocking said track, a'carriage for said track, a mirror on said carriage. means for revolving said mirror when said carriage is moved 9n said track, and a lamp for throwing light on said mirror.

13. In a railway crossing signal, a mirror, means for reciprocating said mirror, means for rotating said mirror continuously in one direction when the mirror is reciprocated in opposite directions, and a lamp adapted to project a multaneously an oscillating and a rotary motion.

14. In a railway crossing s gnal, a track,

a, carriage adapted to reciprocate on said track, a mirror on said carriage; mechanism for rotating said mirror continuously in one direction when said carriage is reciprocated on said track, said mechanism comprising 'a ratchet and pawl for rotating a gear wheel 1f,'in one direction when said carriage moves in one direction, another ratchet and pawl.- I for rotating another gear wheel in the op- 10 p'osite direction when said carriage'moves in the opposite direction, and a pinion fixed 'saidimirror and adapted to be engaged in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL J. MCCARTHY.

it Witnesses:

A. C. Nome, A. L. VENCILL. 

